Showing results for "given"

• past participle of give.

given

American  

[giv-uhn] / ˈgɪv ən /

verb

1. past participle of give.

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adjective

1. stated, fixed, or specified.

   at a given time.

2. addicted or disposed (often followed byto ).

   given to making snide remarks.

3. bestowed as a gift; conferred.

4. assigned as a basis of calculation, reasoning, etc..

   Given A and B, C follows.

5. Mathematics. known or independently determined.

   a given magnitude.

6. (on official documents) executed and delivered as of the date shown.

noun

givens plural

1. an established fact, condition, factor, etc.

given British  

/ ˈɡɪvən /

verb

1. the past participle of give

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adjective

1. tending (to); inclined or addicted (to)

2. specific or previously stated

3. assumed as a premise

4. maths known or determined independently

   a given volume

5. (on official documents) issued or executed, as on a stated date

noun

1. an assumed fact

2. philosophy the supposed raw data of experience See also sense datum

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-given
  adjective
• ungiven
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• givens
  plural

Etymology

Origin of given

First recorded in 1350–1400, for the adjective

Explanation

A given is some detail or fact that is known to be true. Your mother might say, "It's a given that I'll always love you, no matter how annoying you are." Something's a given if it's an established situation that you're sure of. It's a given that a first class airplane ticket will cost a lot more than a seat in coach, and it's also a given that the earth orbits the sun. It can also be an adjective: "After considering the given facts, mark an answer on the multiple-choice test." Given comes from the verb give, which has an Old English root of giefan, "to bestow, allot, or commit."

Example Sentences

Imports to Germany sank 2.5% on month, which given the rise in exports meant its seasonally adjusted trade surplus rose to 19.1 billion euros in May, up from 14.7 billion euros in April, Destatis said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

Now, just 10 years later, it’s the latest Disney animated film to be given the live-action treatment.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026

The underwriters are offering 177.9 million new shares and pricing will be announced later on Thursday with allocations given later in the day.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 9, 2026

A pandemic-era boom in Hasbro’s toy and game sales had given way to a multiyear slide in revenue, prompting a turnaround plan that also included investing in videogames and emerging markets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

Each group is given a secret code, though they don’t know what it means or what it’s for.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly